Biological features:The predominant seabed and water column habitat type(s) with a description of the characteristic physical and chemical features, such as depth, water temperature regime, currents and other water movements, salinity, structure and substrata composition of the seabed.

Other features:A description of any other features or characteristics typical of or specific to the marine region or subregion

Brief description of monitoring

Detailed information on
monitoring frequency and spatial resolution has not yet been collected
from all countries but will be added.

​​Element / parameter

​Extent of ice cover

​​Method

​Extent
of ice cover is measured using satellite observations. The whole Baltic
is monitored by Finland (FMI) and Sweden (SMHI). The rest of Contracting Parties monitor national
waters.

Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite image is used. The algorithm, which combines SAR data and
ground truth, provides ice thickness information in 500 m resolution.
The products are provided operationally and are available for users
shortly after the SAR data is available.

​Ice
thickness is measured using satellite observations and in-situ
measurements. The whole Baltic is monitored by Finland (FMI) and Sweden
(SMHI). The rest of the Contracting Parties monitor national
waters.

Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite image is used. The algorithm, which combines SAR data and
ground truth, provides ice thickness information in 500 m resolution.
The products are provided operationally and are available for users
shortly after the SAR data is available.

​QA/QC

It follows nationally accredited methods and results are compared internationally.

​Frequency

​Ice Thickness Charts are operationally produced every time a SAR image has been received, using the latest available ice chart as an input.

Monitoring requirements and gaps

Monitoring is to be carried out to fulfill assessment requirements of HELCOM ecological objectives that are specified through HELCOM core indicators. The requirements on monitoring can
include number of stations, the sampling frequency and replication.

Maximum
extent of sea ice in the Baltic should be monitored with Baltic wide
comprehensive earth observations (Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR)) during winter season. Temporal
frequency of observations should be at least once a week. Spatial
coverage should be the whole Baltic Sea and resolution 1 km.

Sea ice thickness in the Baltic Sea should be monitored with earth observation data combined with in-situ measurements of ice thickness.

​Gaps

There are no gaps, the monitoring covers the whole Baltic Sea with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution.

Monitoring
should provide adequate data and information to enable the periodic
assessment of environmental status, and distance from and progress
towards GES as required the MSFD under Article 9 and 11.